NATCHEZ

&8212; The Natchez-Adams School District has abandoned technicalities in favor of common sense when it comes to saving lives.

The district recently revised their emergency procedures, changing not the plan, but the presentation.

All schools now have color-coded flip charts that guide them through what to do in case of a fire, a shooting or a terrorist attack. Classroom teachers are encouraged to post the chart by their doors so it is readily available if needed, Director of Operations Wayne Barnett said.

In the past, schools have sometimes used convoluted codes over the intercom to warn of danger, Barnett said. But now, everything boils down to a color, and things are said in plain English.

&8220;We don&8217;t have to hide anything from an intruder,&8221; Barnett said. &8220;He already knows he&8217;s in the building.&8221;

The district has an overall plan, and each school must come up with a school-specific plan.

The state requires the district to do a yearly review of their plan, but things may not change unless needed, Barnett said.

The basic plan in place in Natchez is still at its core a comprehensive plan crafted several years ago. And that plan was good enough for the state to copy, Barnett said.

&8220;The state used our plan as a model,&8221; he said. &8220;When you look at the state plan, you find that a lot of things in our plan they copied word for word.&8221;

The state even failed to change a few school names &8212;the state&8217;s model plan refers to West Primary School, Barnett said.

The local plan is one Barnett said he feels still works. The latest revisions simplified things to the point of cutting out step-by-step guides for every possible scenario and grouping things by the reaction, not the cause.

For example, school evacuation is the response to several emergencies, fire, chemical spill or bomb threat, to name a few.

Other responses include lock down &8212; no one comes or goes from the building &8212; and shelter in place &8212; students and teachers stay in their rooms.

&8220;You can take that plan, and in any situation that comes up you can use it,&8221; Barnett said.